Lost in Darkness

Short Story

     I woke to the sound of tapping at one of my doors in the middle of the night. The door leads outside, so I automatically assumed someone was locked out and knocked on my door to let them in, which happened often. Since we lived out in the country and a bit in the woods, I didn't worry about robberies or intruders.

I slowly got out of bed, waking from a deep sleep and made my way to the door. "Who is it?" I barely mumbled and grabbed the handle, imagining my Dads friends voice saying "It's Biggen." But what I heard made me stop. I heard breathing. Heavy, raspy breathing. Like someone had run a mile straight with no water. I let go and stepped back from the door.

Behind me, I heard a very, very deep growl. Like a dog growl, but slowed down and a single vibration, like a note on a bass guitar. I turned to see a huge white pair of eyes in the far corner. A bulky, black crawling figure flung itself to me, and I then woke up on the ground outside, where the deceased family dogs have been buried, not actually far from the backdoor itself, since it was visible.

I got up slowly, my heart pounding out of my chest and as my eyes adjusted, I realized I was not alone. All around me I saw white eyes, staring at me blankly at about my waists height. Their bodies were smooth and muscular, silky with no hair but deep black. They surrounded me, growling in different low frequencies. They backed me up, forcing me towards the dry riverbed near the house and the sides of the riverbed rise up. We call it "The Ditch."

They forcefully pushed me into the ditch, getting sand in my eyes from the drop into it. Every time I slowed down, they made me pick up my pace there were about 8 of them, and in the moonlight I could see their feet had claws, and they were long and black. I didn't want to make a run for it, because they'd surely catch up to me in the sand. I didn't know where they were trying to take me. They were taking me the opposite way of the highway, away from home.

If I even took a step out of formation, they would growl. It was like getting hit with a whip. I stiffened and tensed every time. At this point, the sand cleared out and we were headed into the woods. I heard whispers. Harsh whispers, coming from just the other side of the trees. I was frozen in fear as I realized they were taking me to be sacrificed... or become one of them. I didn't want to stick around to find out.

With a sudden movement, I bolted the other direction, knowing I had a better chance this way, the sand of course slowed me down dramatically, but I pushed on. I heard screeches behind me, pig like screeches and I didn't even want to guess what it was. I started to run even faster, to my surprise. I had a glimpse of hope as I heard the thumps of what seemed like hundreds of footsteps behind me start to gain distance.

Then I saw it. A single line of barbed wire. I forgot that I had crossed under it on the way there. I tried to slow down, but only made it worse as I tripped foreward, the rusty barbed wire digging deep into my throat, a barb making it's way into my windpipe. I fell onto my back and held my throat and felt the thick liquid start to flow out as I stated to choke on my own blood.

I woke up in reality and started to cough uncontrollably and I literally sat there on my bed for about an hour trying to gain my breath, trying to figure out what those creatures were, and what laid beyond those woods.

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Please note that this was in fact a dream I had, and that the layout of the dream, (including the barbed wire) are all true. There is a ditch, there is a dog graveyard, and there are woods. My family owns about 12 acres and I'm no longer comfortable exploring them by myself after nightfall. I'm glad I moved out of that room and am now on the other side of the house, because I never slept easy in that room after that night. Hope you guys enjoyed, and there will be more stories like this one!